Evaluation of the deoxyuridine suppression test by using whole blood samples from folic acid-supplemented subjects.
We performed the deoxyuridine suppression test (dUST) along with assessment of folate and vitamin B-12 status in blood specimens from 136 normal women and 109 women with cervical dysplasia. All tests were repeated at 2, 4, and 6 mo in subjects with dysplasia during a randomized, double-blind intervention trial in which 50 received a 10-mg daily oral folic acid supplement (F group) and 59 received a placebo (P group). Median folate concentration increased fivefold in plasma and threefold in erythrocytes of F group beginning at the second months and remained elevated whereas concentrations of the P group remained unchanged. Vitamin B-12 values did not vary significantly in either group. The dUST value decreased from 10.4 +/- 4.6% (means +/- SD) pretreatment to 4.5 +/- 4.7% in F group after 2 mo (p less than 0.001). The dUST values had significant negative correlation with plasma and erythrocyte folate concentrations. However, erythrocyte folate had the greatest power to distinguish P group from F group.
Tamura
T
T
Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294.
Soong
S J
SJ
Sauberlich
H E
HE
Hatch
K D
KD
Cole
P
P
Butterworth
C E
CE
D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003857:Deoxyuridine; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011897:Random Allocation; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
D004247:DNA; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D013936:Thymidine; D003857:Deoxyuridine